My '95 U320SE has the Michelin XZA3 295/80/22.5 steering tires, I keep them at the proper PSI according to Michelin, have inspected all steering and suspension components of the front axles assembly with no indications at all. My coach has roughly 160K on the Odometer, the tires are only a year old and have great tread with minimal wear but the bus still tends to "road walk" holding it straight. I know the aerodynamics are poor and wind plays a huge factor hear but has anyone tried different brands of tires with any better luck? Or had concerns around this topic or these tires?
Any one running the Michelin X Coach HLZ tires?
-Jared
You guys with "slab sides" are more likely to take gusts than we do. That being said, we drove a friend's new Prevost/Marathon the other day and it wandered! He pointed to two toggle switches on the left that he used to avoid "sway". Once I got used to them, a side gust or road wierdness was quickly adjusted for, without any hands on the wheel! Oh Baby! b^.^d
I would start with inflating Steer tires to maximum PSI, see if that doesn't have a positive effect on handling.
How much free play in your steering assembly?
Lots of discussion about wheel bearing Tightness /Preload here...
Jared,
You say you have 295/80/22.5 tires.
I think the original size was 275/80/22.5
If that is the case, be sure the rims can handle the wider tire. That could have an effect on the handling.
Mike,the curious minds are out here,what are the 2 switches adjusting,air ride,shocks or what?
Is the 160k miles on the original shocks?
We have had a few tire/handling questions lately,not saying the shocks are the problem but the symtoms that they are describing
are the exact problems that the koni site states the FSD shocks cure.
How about a front-end alignment with emphasis on toe-in?
With the toggles, you can see the wheel make very subtle changes, far more subtle than we mortals could do. I'd bet every big bus has those! ^.^d
Has the steering box been replaced? After a seal let go on mine and I replaced the unit the steering improved.
You guys are right on the original tire size, they are in fact 275/80/22.5's. I was at the office when I made this post earlier and wasn't accurate. On the topic of slack the steering is pretty tight, I wouldn't have the slightest if the shocks are original or not. I had it aligned right after we purchased it for good measure but it never did pull.
This kind of thing for me has been a steering box wear thing and sometimes can be adjusted. Does your steering box have a tightening screw?? I would look at this and maybe steering rod play. Doesn't seem like a tire thing, but ----. Have a great day ---- Fritz
My personal coach had legally defensible .001 to .005 play at the edge of the brake rotor after a seal replacement and oil change.
My x Foretravel line mechanic replaced the seals as the shop had installed the seals that rode directly on the hub with the stemco seals that ride on an installed on the hub inner ring instead.
I drove the coach out of his shop and ten miles down the road I called him on his cell.
"What did you do? The coach drives like its on rails."
"Oh I preloaded the bearing a little. Otherwise their is a dead spot and the coaches wander."
Not that you cannot have many other issues that affects this but after three years of going through the front and rear suspension parts to verify every parts condition he fixed mine.
I asked Vincent how many coaches he has adjusted the same way with the same results and his answer was hundreds.
I have trouble wiping the grin off my face when driving the coach,
No wander. No dead spot. I move closer to the centerline sometimes when a flat fronted truck is coming the opposite way just to marvel at the lack of movement
Coach shakes. No directional change